Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Tablet - Infinity Glass Screen Glare

I hope the video gives you an idea of what you might face if you get the X220 Tablet. This system is made to be used indoors so treat it as such. On the video you can see that there's more glare on the X220 screen than with my Gateway 24 inch matte monitor. Obviously the system has a glass finish so it's going to have glare.

For those working outdoors you might want to wait the Gorilla glass version which should be better suited for that job. Both the Infinity glass and Gorilla glass have 300 nits brightness and have IPS. The Gorilla glass version does not have the multi-touch layer so it will be a bit brighter, and it should have less glare. I wish I had both systems so I could compare them !

Lenovo's Kevin Beck has stated that the outdoor viewable model is "relatively bright and has very, very low reflectivity" (then they smash the screen with a pen)

I can read text better with the X220's Infinity glass screen than with my Gateway 24 inch screen. Usually I have the system at an angle and don't have a super bright source behind me so I don't have glare. It's all about the angles with most "glass" screens and the X220 is no different.

Published: Apr 26, 2011

20 comments:

thanks a lot for this, Jesse! I did order the Gorilla Glass version and I'm sure I'll be happy with it. I'm not really working outdoors but I'm often on a train right next to the window and that's where I usually get annoyed with ordinary screens because I can barely read them there, even the newest Apple Macbooks with 450cd/m² (which equals "nits").

For the outdoor person the Gorilla one will be better. I remember carrying my iPad trying to read stuff outside, and that was impossible. There's pros and cons to the Gorilla glass and the Infinity glass. As long as you get the one that fits your needs that's all that matters.

The clip/latch that secured the screen to the keyboard in tablet mode is gone. Living without it is not hideously terrible. If you were to be literally running around with it then it would be a concern, but if you are walking with it is not too bad. If you shaked the system on purpose and hard it would open.

To paint a picture let's say I have the system on tablet mode, screen facing down, and hold it by the battery with one hand (no arm support). Due to gravity + weight, the screen will open about 1 inch. With the securing latch/clip of the X201T it would have stayed completely closed.

One benefit of removing the clip/latch is that you can switch between tablet and laptop mode a lot easier and faster.

I'm not sure, but on Lenovo's Product page for the X220 Tablet, under the second section for "Touch and Go" [Last Sentence] it mentions:

"In any event, you can always rely on our durability standards and Active Protection System™ to provide a rock-solid machine, which includes a redesigned hinge with stronger magnetic-latching support."

Thanks a lot for this demo Jesse. It actually steered me away from the x220t as I require daylight viewable and finger touch screen (used in a vehicle mount.) But the solution we choose isn't working out as we though. What are your thoughts on using an anti-glare or privacy screen protector on the x220t infinity screen for the bright environment users?

I have not tested the anti-glare or privacy screen with the X220T. If your organization/company needs to know they could give Lenovo a call and request a system for testing. If there are dollars in play there can always be negotiations.

- Does the X220t not have an integrated webcam?- Would the sheet battery prevent problem that the 6 cell battery is causing?- Would you comment on the processor on your machine - is this the i3 or the i5?- Does this have ThinkLight? - Optical drive?

- It does come with integrated HD webcam.- The battery slice improves the angle for portrait mode, but it does not make the system flat.- The system that I have has the Core i5-2520M- There's no ThinkLight in the X220T- No optical drive. You would need the ThinkPad UltraBase Series 3

Hi Jesse,Thanks very much for this demo. Is this version usable outdoors in the shade? Since the outdoor screen seems to be no longer available (and Lenovo reps are not offering any timeframe for availability), I am thinking about ordering this version, though I would like to be able to read and browse outside...Thanks in advance-Jen

I've been reading about the X220 on the Lenovo support forums and on tabletpcreview.com.

Some people are complaining that the X220's IPS screen has some ghosting/image persistence issues and backlight bleed. In particular, the main complaint is that using opening a window and leaving it alone for 15-20 minutes, then closing it will leave some "residue" from the window on the screen.

My question is: Have you experienced the ghosting and/or bleed issues, and if so, how bad is it? Does it affect the system under "normal use" (note-taking, photoshop, internet, etc)

Eric,It's been a while since I had the X220T. I don't remember ghosting. As for the backlight bleed... that's something that is easy to notice with black/dark backgrounds... which i usually didn't have. Maybe there was some, but I wasn't looking for it.

Check http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6889v4F9PE to see several systems and their screens at the same time.

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Hi. My name is Jesse, and I'm a technology enthusiast. I play with technology and share what I find on this blog. If you have any questions then please use the contact form below. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.